South Burlington, VT – First Lady Jill Biden made a stop in South Burlington, Vermont Wednesday and toured BETA Technologies. The visit is part of the Investing in America Tour. The White House is using the tour to showcase how funds are being used from the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the American Rescue Plan. She was joined by Education Secretary Dr. Miguel Cardona and Vermont Governor Phil Scott and others.

The First Lady says she chose BETA in an effort to highlight education-centered workforce development. She talked about BETA’s internship program which helps high school and college students get real-world experience. She said, “students are getting experience and credentials that will give them a jumpstart on college or a career.”

Two BETA interns think it’s important to gain experience as early as possible. Colton Poulin says, “I build things the way that I’m able to learn the way I can outside the classroom, I take things here at BETA and really turn it into an education…” Fellow intern Phoebe Peckham adds, “The education of the next generation and the job opportunities that BETA and other tech companies have opened up for people like me or even younger than me is so important.”

BETA CEO Kyle Clark says it’s important to get local students involved. He said, “The idea of an internship program, heavy commitment to the local schools, engagement with the local technical schools, really has nothing to do with trying to do that strategically, it was a need that was fulfilled, and I like to think of that as the thought experiment of the student engineer, they’re creative, they know the latest tools, they’re energetic.”

Vermont was the final stop on Dr. Biden’s weeklong tour which also included stops in Colorado and Maine.